Container closure



Sept. 12, 1939. R. L. SMITH 2,172,644

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed June 15, 1938 INVENTOR 12. 8mm.-

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12, .1939

UNITED STATES CONTAINER CLOSURE Ray L. Smith,

Cheyenne, Wyo.

Application June 13, 1938, Serial No. 213,345

Claims.

This invention relates to containers adapted for the intermittent dispensing of commodities in powder, paste, cream, or similar form, and more particularly to containers of collapsible 5 type adapted to yield to external pressures for the extrusion of their contents, and has as an object to provide an improved closure for such containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved container closure assembly arranged to prevent separation of the closure element from the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved container closure assembly including a closure element conveniently movable be tween opening and closing relation with the container without actual separation of said element from its associated container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and cooperative arrangement of elements constituting a nonseparable closure for containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and combination of 5 elements constituting a non-separable closure assembly readily adaptable for operative association with containers of varying specific forms, types, and constructions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved non-separable closure assembly for containers which is simple, convenient, and inexpensive of manufacture; which is susceptible of ready adaptation to and in operative association with conventional containers; which is 5 positive and efficient in use; and which is entirely free from any detachable element susceptible of loss through separation from the assembly.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary, detail section through the dispensing end of a conventional 45. container wherewith a preferred embodiment of the invention is operatively associated as in closing relation with the container. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the ele-- Figure 3 is a.

modified embodiment of the invention. Figurev 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating still further structural modifications of the invention as adapted for association with containers of certain types.

Dispensing containers of various specific types, including collapsible tubes, have come into general and widespread use for the packaging and dispensing of a wide range of varying commodities, the vast majority of conventional dispensing containers having one common fault in that the dispensing orifice is normally closed by a separable cap which is susceptible of escape from the user with consequent danger of loss, and the instant invention is concerned with the provision of improved closure means for dispensing containers so constructed and arranged as to preserve all of the advantages of conventional containers and at the same time completely preclude the possibility of separation of the closure element from its associated container.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the improvement is illustrated as operatively associated with the dispensing end of a conventional container or tube In which is formed with a central, axially-extending neck il formed with a laterally-directed discharge opening l3 adjacent the junction of the neck II and tube It. To selectively open and close the discharge orifice 13, a cylindrical plunger i2 is fitted closely within the cylindrical bore of the neck l l for rotation and axial reciprocation relative to said neck, and the plunger [2 is formed on or secured to the inner end of a threaded stem M which has a maximum diameter no greater than that of the plunger l2 and a length sufficient to extend to or beyond the outer end of the neck ll when the plunger [2 is positioned with its side wall completely obstructing the orifice 13. The bore of the neck H is smooth, straight, and unobstructed for a distance outwardly of said neck sufficient to accommodate the plunger l2 in clearing relation with the orifice it as is clearly shown in Figure 2, and the outer extremity of said neck I l is formed with internal threads adapted toengage and cooperate with the threads of the stem M, the threads on the neck II having a minimum diameter less than that of the plunger l2 so that the latter may not pass through the threaded por tion of the neck wherein it is mounted. A suitable thumb-nut or manipulating head I5 is fixed to the outer end of the stem M in position to overlie and engage at times against the outer end of the neck II and thereby limit travel of the plunger I2 and stem I4 inwardly of said neck to a position corresponding to that shown in Figure 1, wherein the plunger I2 is disposed to close off and obstruct the orifice I3, the inward extension of the internal threads in the neck II being limited to a distance which will permit the plunger I2 to move outwardly of the neck sufiiciently to entirely clear and consequently open the orifice I3, it being obvious that rotation of the stem I l and plunger I2 transmitted through the head I5 in one direction will operate to move the plunger I2 outwardly of the neck to the limit permitted by the threaded portion of said neck and to the position shown in Figure 2, thus uncovering the orifice I3 to permit dispensing of contents from the container I through said orifice, while reverse rotation of the plunger, stem, and head unit will act to move said plunger inwardly of the neck II and into closing relation with the orifice I3. When the improvement just described is to be developed in connection with containers having neck portions of relatively ductile material, the neck portion II may have a uniform, straight bore sufficient to accommodate the plunger I2 within which the unit I2, I I, I is positioned with the plunger I2 in clearing relation with the orifice I3, whereafter the material adjacent the extremity of the neck may be rolled or circumferentially pressed into intimate engagement with the threaded stem I4 to form the desired internal threads on the neck portion. In other specific constructions, the head I5 may be initially separate from the stem I4 to permit insertion and threaded engagement of the stem and plunger unit through the open bottom of the container I0 and into the desired relation with the neck I I, whereafter the head I5 may be suitably fixed to the outer end of the stem I 4.

In the modification according to Figure 3, the essential elements of the invention are in all respects identical with the disclosure hereabove described, the only difference being that the discharge orifice I3 is directed axially of the container Ill for end discharge, in which case the neck II is disposed to project laterally across the container end to cooperate with a laterally-disposed unit I2, I4, I5 in the manner hereabove set forth, it being apparent that the container may communicate directly with a single orifice I3 in the manner first described, or with an elongated discharge passage determining in the orifice I3 and disposed for interruption by the plunger I2.

The modification illustrated in Figure 4 is functionally identical with the showing of Figure 3 and differs from the latter only in that the container I 0 is streamlined or contoured to house the closure assembly smoothly within its discharge end.

The construction shown in Figure 5 is adapted for enclosure within a smoothly-contoured container and differs from that shown in the preceding figures in that the plunger I2 is mounted to slide laterally of the container end into and out of closing relation with the orifice I3 within a cylindrical chamber I6 which intersects the discharge passage from the container and which communicates at one end with a threaded bore extension IT, and in that said plunger I2 is fixed to an operating stem I8 which extends in one direction therefrom to rigid connection with an enlarged, externally-threaded stem portion I4 seated in and cooperating with the threaded bore extension I1, and in the opposite direction through a suitable bore in the container end to I fixed connection with the manipulating head I5, so that discharge from the container may be had when the plunger I2 has been moved out of obstructing relation with the orifice I3, between said plunger I2 and threaded stem I4 and about that portion of the stem I8 interconnecting said elements.

Since it is readily apparent that the alternative embodiments of the invention illustrated and described do not exhaust the possible practical adaptations of the invention to specific types and constructions of containers, and since variations, changes, and modifications in the specific form, construction, and arrangement of the elements shown and described may be had without departing from the spirit of my invention, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invention 1. A non-separable closure for containers comprising, a hollow neck on said container, a discharge orifice opening laterally through a wall of said neck, a plunger element movable longitudinally of said neck into and out of closing relation with said orifice, contracted means in the outer neck portion engageable at times by said plunger to limit travel thereof outwardly of said neck, and manually-operable means for shifting said plunger.

2. A non-separable closure for containers comprising, a hollow neck associated with said container, a discharge orifice opening through one wall of said neck, a plunger slidable in said neck into and out of closing relation with said orifice, a threaded stem of reduced diameter, fixed to said plunger longitudinally and outwardly of said neck, internal threads adjacent the outer extremity of said neck cooperating with said threaded stem and engageable at their inner ends by said plunger at times to limit travel of said plunger outwardly of said neck, and means manually-engageable torotate said stem.

3. A non-separable closure for containers comprising, a hollow neck associated with said container, a discharge orifice opening through one wall of said neck, a plunger slidable in said neck into and out of closing relation with said orifice, means engageable with the outer end of said neck and secured to said plunger to limit travel of the latter inwardly of said neck to a position obstructing said orifice, means intermediate said plunger and the end of said neck engageable by the former at times to limit travel of said plunger outwardly of said neck to a position in clearing relation with said orifice, and means manuallyengageable without said neck for the selective positioning of said plunger.

4. A non-separable closure for containers comprising, a discharge passage for the container, a hollow cylindrical member intersecting said passage, a cylindrical plunger fitted within and to slide along said member into and out of obstructing relation with said. passage, means for limiting travel of said plunger in one direction to a position obstructing said discharge passage, means limiting travel of said plunger in the opposite direction to a position in clearing relation with said discharge passage, and manually-engageable means for the selective positioning of said plunger.

5. A non-separable closure for containers comprising, a discharge passage for. the container, a

bore intersecting said passage, a plunger fitted Within and to slide along said bore into and out of obstructing relation with said passage, a stem fixed to said plunger and extending to connection of its outer end with a manipulating head exteriorly of said neck, threads on said stem of no greater maximum diameter than the plunger,

and cooperating internal threads in the outer portion of said bore to prevent escape of said plunger outwardly therefrom and to provide means for feeding said plunger into and out of obstructing relation with said discharge passage.

RAY L. SMITH. 

